Preloaded joint assembly



March 5, 41946. A. lv|..r-1D|'r'rYlrL. I' 2,396,137

PRELQADED JOINT ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 5, 1944 4?. 5:35.41* g' 37 4l. Jig 4. E. 54,

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- A Jnzovly Mandi/(QI. go Zaffzewl Gra ham.

Patented Mar. 5, 1946 anni UNITED STATES- PATENT orrlcn PRELOADED JOINT ASSEMBLY' Anthony 'Vendtty` and Matthew P. Graham, De-

troit, Mich., assignorsto Thompson Products,

Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporationof Ohio YAppli-mation January 5, 1944, serial No. 517,020 Y Y12 Claims.

This invention relates to ,jointA constructions wherein a joint member is rotatably mounted on anti-friction bearings and held in a tiltable bearing under spring load independent of the load on the tiltable bearing.

Specifically, therinvention relates'to tie -rod joints having studs rotatably mounted about Y' their own axes on vroller bearings andV tiltablymounted in all planes on plain `bearingsv wherein the roller bearings are heldin operative position by plain bearing member-carriedl springs which act on the studs and rcooperate to provide a preloaded sub-assembly of roller bearing,`ball stud; and plain bearing.

In accordance with this invention, which will be hereinafter specically described as embodied in a tie rod joint although it isuseful in all types of joints,'a socket member or housing. receives a seat member in tiltable relation'therein, and the seat member, in turn, receives a stud therethrough. The stud has a head portion provid- Y ing an inner race for a ring of anti-friction bearings such as roller bearings. Theseat member has an inner surface providing an outer race for the bearings. A diaphragm spring is carried by the seat member and acts on vthe stud to urge the stud in a direction for placing a load on the in the socket acts on a slidable cup member to urge the same against the diaphragm spring for holding the tilting bearing or seat member in tiltable relation on the socket bearing wall.

Thus, a first springplaces a predetermined load on the anti-friction bearingswhich carry a stud for rotation about its own axis, while a second spring places an independent load on Athe bearing or seat member which tiltably supports the stud. As a result, a preloaded assembly composed of stud, seat: member, `anti-friction bearing, and diaphragrn'spring is provided for ready mounting as asub-assembly in the socket.

Y The sub-assembly can be lubricated `andready,

for use. The ranti-frictionV bearing .can be substud can beba'cked' up with avery stiff spring tending to maintain 'the 'stud head in continual contact with the anti-friction bearings while' the seat member or plain bearing can be'backed up Aby a light spring load independent of the load on 'the anti-friction bearing. MA better load distributionrand maintenance of bearing contact without objectionable high Vfriction can be obtained in the joints of this invention. 1

In one embodiment of the invention the stud anti-friction bearing. A second spring .disposed iscomposed of a stud, an anti-friction'bearing,

vjected to any desired load'as determined by the Y loading of the diaphragm spring. Thus the 2 has a rounded buttonend riding in a rounded depression of the diaphragmspring. In another` embodiment of the invention the' stud has a groove in the end' face thereof receiving ball ybearings which rideon the diaphragm spring or a member carried by the spring for decreasing resistance to rotative movements -between the stud and diaphragm spring.y Itfis, then, an object ofthe invention to provide a joint assembly including a iirstset of bearings subjected to a first spring'load, and ak second setof bearings subjected to asecondY spring load but cooperating with the rstjset of bearings to provideV for the universalymoimting of ajoint member. f

Atfurther object of thefinvention is to provideV a universal joint `assembly wherein rotative movements of the joint members are borne by anti-friction bearings Ymaintained-@under predetermined load and wherein tilting movements are borne on plain Vbearings maintained :under different predetermined load. 'y f* Y f Another object of the inventionis-to provide a universal joint Vassembly wherein rotative movements are borne by one set of bearing surfaces subjected to Vhigh spring 'load while 'tilting movements are borne by a second setof bear- Y ing surfaces subjected 'to lower spring iload.

A still further object of the invention iis toV provide a sub-assembly for a tie rodjoint which a seat member, and a spring carriedby theseat member and acting on the stud toplace apredetermined load onlthe bearing.

Al still furtherr object of theinvention is to provide a tie rod joint Awherein a stud is urged into a seat by a seat carried spring `and the seat is urged into as housing by a second springf A still further object of the invention is to provide a universal joint assembly wherein converging pairs of bearing surfacesv respectively supporting rotativev movements and ltilting movements of the Ajoint members are subjected -toY different and independent spring loads.v

Other and further objects of -the invention will be apparent to those skilledin the lart from the following detailed descriptionjof the Yannexed I sheet of drawings which, by Way of preferred examples only', illustrates two ,embodiments of the invention.A -v Y On the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view with parts in Vertical cross section, of a tie rod joint according to this invention. i I Figure 2 is an exploded vertical cross-sectional view with parts in elevation and broken away, of the tie rod joint of Figure 1, illustrating the manner in which the parts are assembled.

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view, with parts in bottom plan view, taken along the line III-III of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view, with parts in elevation, oi a modifled tie rod joint construction of this invention.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a wear washer used in the modified construction of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of the ball race in the modled joint of Figure 4.

As shown on the drawing:

In Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, the reference numeral I designates generally a socket or housing member of a tie rod joint while the reference numeral II designates generally a stud which is tiltably and rotatably mounted in the socket or housing and projects from the housing.

The housing I0 has a generally cylindrical end portion I2 with a laterally extending shank or stem I3 having an enlarged hollow end portion I3a receiving, in threaded relation therein, the end of a tie rod I4.

The portion I2 of the housing Ill has a cylindrical bore I extending from the bottom end of the housing to an inwardly converging segmental spherical bearing wall I6 near the upper end of the housing.V The bearing wall I5 converges to a circular opening I1 of smaller diameter than the bore I5. y

As best shown in Figure V2, the bore I5 of the housing portion I2 is countenbored at I8 for providing a shoulder I9 inwardly from the bottom end of the housing portion. A closure disk 20 lits in the counterbore I8 against the shoulder I3 and the bottom end of the housing I2 is peened or spun over theperipheral part of the closure disk 20 as at 2| in Figures 1 and 4 to secure the closure disk in position in the housing. Y

A coiled spring 22 is mounted in the bore I5 and is bottomed on the closure disk 20. This spring 22 is encased lby a cup-shaped retainer 23 having a cylindrical side wall 23a receiving the spring 22 therein and spaced from the bore I5 together with a tapered or conical top wall 23h receiving the top end coil of the spring 22 thereagainst and a fragmental spherical central top wall portion 23e at the apex end of the conical portion 23h providing a rounded dimple or seat for a purpose to be more fully hereinafter described.

A hollow seat or bearing ring 25 is disposed in the housing portion I2 and has a fragmental spherical external Ibearing wall 25 tiltably seated on the bearing wall I6 of the housing together with a frusto-conical inner wall 21 for a purpose tobe more fully described. The spherical wall 26 and conical wall 21 converge in the same general direction to an apertured top wall 28 having a centralaperture 29 therethrough.

The seat member 25 has a cylindrical bore 3!) in the bottom end thereof together with a cylindrical counterbore 3I providing a shoulder 32 at the inner end thereof.

A spring metal disk 33 iits within the counterbore 3l and is bottomed on the shoulder 32. Metal of the seat member at the outer end of the counterbore 3l is peened or spun over the peripheral portion of the spring disk 33 as at 34 in Figures 1 and 4. The disk 33 sthus secured in the bottom of the seat member 25.

As shown in Figure 2, the spring disk 33 has a rounded hollow butto-n portion 33a at the center thereof surrounded by a somewhat bowed radial flange 33h. The portion 33a is adapted to ride in the portion 23e of the cup member 23.

The stud Il has a rounded Vbutton end 35 seated in the portion 33a, of' the spring disk S3, an enlarged conical head portion 36 with an annular base 31 providing a dat shoulder 38, a cylindrical portion 39 extending from the apex end of the conical head 36, a tapered portion 40, and an externally threaded cylindrical free end portion 4I continuing from the small end of the tapered portion 40.

As shown in Figure 1, a ring of tapered roller bearings 42 is disposed around the conical head 36 of the stud and bottomed on the shoulder 33 of the stud. ,The stud head 36 provides an inner race for the roller bearings 42 while the conical wall21-of the seat member 26 provides an outer racerfor the rollerrbearings. A cage 43 holds the roller .bearings 42 in spaced relation around the stud head. v v

The button end 35 of the stud is seated in the depression 33al of the spring 33 and, as shown in Figure 1, the spring memberV is loaded by exing the ilange portion 33h thereof from the downwardly sloping or bowed position shown in Figure 2 to the upwardly sloping or bowed position shown in Figure l. The spring 33 thus urges the stud upwardly in the seat member 25 and, since the conical head 36 of the vstud and the conical wall 21 of the stud converge in an upward direction, the roller bearings 42 are subjected lto radial loads because they are bottomed on the shoulder 33 of the stud and must move upwardly with the stud. A

The cylindrical portion 39 of the stud fits freely through the, opening 29 of the seat member so the stud will rotate freely on the anti-friction roller bearings 42A in the seat member 25. The 'button end 35V of the stud will rotate within the depression 33a of the spring. v

.A spring-loaded sub-assembly of stud, seat member, and` anti-friction element is thus provided and the spring load on the anti-friction element ean be controlled as desired by selection of spring disks 33 or by control of the degreeof exing of Ythese disks through variation of the depth of the counterbore 3| in the seat member 25.

The spring load provided on the anti-friction bearing by the spring 33 is preferably maintained quite high se that the anti-frieten bearings will always ride on the inner and outer conical races provided by the stud head and-by the seat member respectively. 'I'he stud will thus rotate about its own axis in the seat member 25 on the antifriction bearings 42. Y

The cup retainer 23 acts on the portion 33a of the spring member 33 to urge the'seat member 25 into tilting bearing relation on the housing bearing wall I3. The spring load' on the cup member 23 is preferably Vmuch'lighter than the load on the anti-friction member so that the spring load on the plain bearing surfaces accommodating tilting movementsis lighter than the load on the anti-friction bearings accommodating rotating movements of the stud.

The relative loads on the respective bearing surfaces, however, can be varied as desired. x

In the species of Figures 1 to 3 the button end 35 of the stud rides in the depression 33a of the spring member and thus plain bearing relationship betweenY these parts is provided. modication shown'in Figures 4 to 6, however,

In the l projecting throughsaid seat member, roller bearanti-friction bearing relation between 'the 'stud member andthespring member .33 TisV provided.

kIn Figures 4 to 6,'parts identical with parts described kin connection withFig'ures 1 to3 have Y.

been marked with kthe same reference numerals. An annular ball race 45 is formed vinthe end face ofthe portion 31 ofthe stud `I i andtherounded n buttonY end 35 of the stud Ais-eliminated. The .ball race 45, as shown in Figure `6,-is .struck from Atwo radii R1 and R2 .slightly largerthan the rad-ius` of the balls to which are yseatec'i in the groove.

This provides for a two-point contactbetween eachballli'andtherace 45. l

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, a wear washerl'i is mounted on the spring 33 to provide a. bot-torni turning movements between the stud Il and the seat assembly 25 by providing anti-friction bearings between the sprin-g 33 of the seat assembly and the stud head.

If desired, of course, the wear washer 41 can be eliminated and the balls 46 could be directly seated on the spring disk 33.

From the above descriptions it will be understood thatthe invention now provides a tie rod joint assembly wherein rotation of the stud about its own axis is borne on anti-friction bearings subjected to a high spring load, while tilting of the stud is borne on plain bearings subjected to a lighter spring load.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be Varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore,.not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise Athan necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention: v

1. A joint construction comprising a socket member havingan internal bearing wall accommodating tilting movements, a seat member tiltable on said bearing wall, a stud projecting through said seat member, anti-friction elements between said stud and seat member rotatably supto hold the seat member in tiltable bearing rela-A tion on the housing bearing wall. Y

2. A tie rod joint comprising a housing having an internal bearing wall accommodating tilting 4. A tie rod joint construction comprising a.

housing, a joint stud having a frusto-conical head and a rounded end in said housing, a ring of roller bearings disposed around said frustoconical head, a'seat member disposed around said ring of roller bearings and providing an outer race for said roller bearings, a spring disk anchored in said seat member and having a rounded depression receiving th ounded end'of the stud to act on the studiorloading the roller bearings, a spring retainer rockably receiving said spring member, and a coil spring disposed in said housing acting on said spring retainerto urge the seat member into bearing relation with the housing.

5..In a joint construction, a preloaded subassembly comprising a stud having a head portion, a seat member loosely disposed around said stud, anti-friction bearings between the stud and seat member, and a spring disk carried by the seat member acting on the stud to load the anti-friction bearings.

friction bearings disposed around the stud, a seat member disposed around said anti-friction bearings and providing an outer race for said bearings, means carried by the seat member urging the stud in a direction to load the anti-friction bearings, and a housing tiltably receiving said seat member.

'7. A tie rod joint construction comprising a socket, a seattiltably mounted in said socket, a

stud projecting through said seat, roller bearings obetween said stud and seat rotatably mounting movements. a seat in said housing tiltable on said bearing wall, a stud projecting through said seat, a head on said stud converging inthe same general direction as the bearing wall of the housing, a shoulder on said stud head, a ring of roller.

the stud in the seat, a sprin-g disk anchored in the seat, ball bearings between the stud and spring disk urged by the spring disk to thrust on the stud for loading the roller bearings While rotatably bottomingfthe stud on the spring disk, and a spring-urged retainer rockably receiving said spring disk and urging the seatinto bearing relation with' the socket. Y

8. A tie rod joint construction comprising a joint socket, a seat tiltable in said socket, a stud projecting through said seat having a frusto-conical head in the seat, said seat having an internal bearinglwall converging in the same direction as the frsto-conical head of the stud, roller bearings between thehead of the stud and said bearing wall of the seat,a spring member carried by the seat acting on the stud to load said rollerV bearings, and a vsecond spring member operatively interposed between the seat and socket for urging the-seat into bearing relation with the socket bearingwall. j

9. In a joint construction a stud andseat assembly comprising a stud having a head portion, a seat looselydisposed around said head portion of the stud,`rolle 11 bearings interposed between the stud head and seat, said stud having an end face with a ball race therein-ball bearings in said race, and a spring member carried by said seat urging said ball bearings into said race for loading the roller bearings.

10. In a joint construction a stud having a head with an end wall containing an annular groove, a seat disposed around said head, a hous- 'K ing tiltably carrying the seat, roller bearings between said seat Aand head, a spring carried by 6. A joint construction comprising a stud, antisaid seat having a central hollow embossm'ent providing a rounded projection, a Washer mounted on said spring having tangs seated in the hollow embossment, ball bearings interposed between said washer and said groove, whereby the stud is rotatably supported in the seat on radial load carrying roller bearings and on thrust load carrying ball bearings, and a spring-urged retainer having a rounded vdepression receiving the projection of said spring in rockable relation tol 10] urge the seat into bearing relation with the houslng.

11. A joint construction comprising first and second joint members having converging bearing surfaces in tiltable relation, a first spring acting on said joint members to urge the same in the directionof convergence of the bearing surfaces thereof, a third joint member in rotatable relation relative to the rst 'and second joint members,/and a second spring carried by the second joint member acting on said third member.

12. A joint construction comprising rst and second joint members having bearing surfaces converging in the same general direction accommodating tilting movements of the joint members, a spring urging the second joint member in the direction of convergence of said bearing surfaces to maintain saidv bearing surfaces in bearing relation, a third joint member rotatable about its own axis relative to said rst and second joint members, and a second spring carried by the second joint member acting on said third joint 15 member.

ANTHONY VENDITTY. MATTHEW P. GRAHAM. 

